The lowly US Navy watercap fuse adapter

[emike123]

Everybody likes these because of the dates, but here is proof these were not only being used, but still being made 40 years after the war ended.  Testimony to their effectiveness.

Left to right: 1864 dated one that has two "R" stamps for having been reloaded presumably two times, 1878 dated one, and an 1896 dated one:



Close-up of the 1896 dated one showing different writing from ones we typically see.  WNY -= Washington Navy Yard.



Sideview showing that 1878 one had different thread pattern.  1" across and 10tpi (fits Schenkl shells we know they used well after ACW ended)

[Selma Hunter]

Mike -

Would that be "Navy Yard, Washington"?

[John D. Bartleson Jr.]

Most interesting Mike, thank you for posting.
Yes Navy Yard Washington.  The modified Schenkls were also made there.
John

[Dave the plumber]

    do these fuzes have the lead safety plug in the bottom since ther were not used ??

[emike123]

No, the watercaps are completely empty

[divedigger]

I have found a few watercap fuzes so this is very interesting to me. Thanks Mike. And by the way Carl I looked at my cutoff fuze like the one you had in Charleston, and it was definitely cut off, and a little crudely done at that, and it has no bushing.

[emike123]

Well then perhaps you'll find this oddball of interest as well.  I had never seen one before, but it has the extended flash chamber on the bottom like some Schenkls have been known to have.  It is dated 1880 and threaded for a Schenkl

[divedigger]

now that's different

[joevann]

These MUST be from Mare Island.  I was digging these in the early '90s and gave some to Jack Bell and they made there way to Chuck Jones.  Yes, the Washington Navy Yard continued  fabricating them as well as Schenlkls and Bormanns until 1896.  The C. O'N.  Marking is for Charles O'Neil, commander at the time and later Chief of the Bureau of Ordnance.

[Pete George]

  Joevann, thank you very much for supplying all of that background-information.  I'd been wondering who got them at Mare Island, and how the news about them (and specimens) spread into the fuze-collecing community, and what the C. O'N meant.  Much appreciated!

Regards,
Pete

[joevann]

That one with the magazine will fit more than a Schenkl.  It also fits the 8" Butler.  1"Dia x 12TPI I believe.  Standard Navy fuze thread for rifled shells of the late 19th century.  And thank you Mr. George.  I spent many an evening curled up with one of your books in the mid-70s.  I still think that Hubbell was a patent troll.

[Pete George]

  I will say publicly that you might be correct about Hubbell being a Patent troll. But in the D&G book 1993 Update, I felt I had to report the US Government's own ultimate ruling about the Watercap fuze as being Hubbell's design.  His descendants showed me on-paper proof of the Court's decision -- which included a large cash award to Hubbell.  How often in American history has the government decided it had to pay a cash penalty to an (alleged) inventor?  In particular, that point weighed on my mind.

Regards,
Pete

[emike123]

1" 10tpi

[joevann]

Emike, you are correct.  10TPI.  I checked the two 8" navy Butler's I have in the garage.  They were the standard ammo for 11" Dahlgrens converted to 8" rifles.  Mr. George, Hubbel was also a heck of Philadelphia lawyer.  After Congress awarded him the sum the Navy was always careful to call them Hubbell fuses in catalog listings at various foreign and domestic exhibitions of American goods.  However, I am of the strong belief that the water-cap itself was the joint invention of George Bomford and Cyrus Alger for the Seacoast Fuze.  The original drawing is in NARA II.  I've seen it, and wished I copied it at the time.  Perhaps a contributor who lives in the College Park, MD. can rectify my oversight.

[emike123]

We have seen watercap fuses dated 1896, Schenkl fuses dated into the 1880s and Bormann fuses dated to around there as well.  Were all these dropped from service during the Span Am War or in the very early 20th Century as the US upgraded its seacoast fortifications?  In short, do we have a fairly definitive end date for their use?